Sexy in shapewear: The Charnos 'Corselette'

    When you think of shapewear, what first comes to mind? 

   Shapewear is often thought of as being a rather 'basic' item in our underwear drawer and you can probably be forgiven for not seeing it as synonymous with 'sexy'!  Shapewear generally comes in plain shades, such as nude or black and tends to lack the aestheticism of other lingerie - it is a primarily functional underwear item.

   Although shapewear does the job of smoothing out lumps and bumps, why can't it also be elegant and sexy? The stigma with shapewear, is that too many people associate it with 'granny pants' or as being a secret 'figure fixer' that is just a reminder that we over-indulged at Christmas and need to hit the gym!  

   Luckily, shapewear has seen a much-needed makeover over the years and thanks to trends such as 'Underwear as outerwear' and 'Mad Men', it has become fashionable again! High-waisted knickers, patterned slips and bodysuits have made a real come back, leading many lingerie designers to build on these classic shapes, adding a modern twist!

   A brand whose shapewear really stands out for me, is Charnos. Charnos lingerie, which was created in 1958, offers elegant and luxurious designs from 30-42 backs and cup sizes up to a G. On browsing the Charnos site, I came across the 'Hourglass' range and its gorgeous shapewear products, which set my heart a-flutter immediately! The product which had me weak at the knees, was the eye-wateringly sexy 'Hourglass Corselette', which comes in Black, Blush and Gold...

   I particularly liked the gold version, which just oozes old Hollywood Glamour! Although I was disappointed to find out that the smallest band size in the 'Corselette' was a 32, I was so enamoured with it, that Charnos kindly offered to send me a 32E to try (the equivalent cup volume to my usual 28FF bra size). 

   As predicted, the Charnos 'Corselette' was everything that I had hoped for and more in the flesh. The 'Corselette' is rather like a corset, girdle, bra and slip all-in-one, giving all over shaping and support.

   Made from stunning nude-gold satin and floral-print black lace overlay, the 'Corselette' is a luxurious and elegant piece that is sure to make any lady look and feel a million dollars...

   The bra cups are 3-sectioned and the fuller cup style flatters your bust, keeping you looking sultry yet demure. The cups are lightly padded, apart from the semi-sheer scalloped lace panels at the top, which give a cheeky peek of skin underneath. The cups are fully under-wired, to keep you feeling fully supported and comfortable.

   The beauty of the 'Corselette', above all, lies in the attention to detail: zig-zag stitching, an ornate central panel, vintage floral print lace, subtle frill-edged straps and a beautiful bow ribbon and bead motif at the centre of the cups...

The back of the 'Corselette' is plain gold satin with black zig-zag stitching down the panels... 

   The back features ten hooks and eyes, which give firm support and help to keep everything securely in place. The only disadvantage with this type of fastening, is that it is quite difficult to do up and undo (and therefore get the 'Corselette' on and off), but such is the nature of shapewear... 

So, I hear you ask, what does the 'Corselette' look like on and how did it fit? 

   As you can see, the fit of the 'Hourglass Corselette' is rather fabulous. The 'Corselette' pulled me in subtly, whilst smoothing and streamlining my curves, thanks to the inner panels. I also loved the centre lace panel, which adds a 'trompe l'oeil' effect, defining your waist and giving you the 'hourglass' figure that its name suggests!

   Due to the nature of shapewear/ controlwear, the materials used tend to make the fit slightly tighter, which really worked to my advantage with the fit of the bra cups and 'band'! I was pleasantly surprised by the 32E cups, which felt perfect on my 28FF's and gave good lift and support. The back felt nice and firm, the wires sat flush against my chest and the cups encased my bust perfectly. I also really liked the shape that the bra cups gave me and there was no empty space or wrinkling on the lace panels at the top of the cups. 

   Another added bonus of the Charnos 'Corselette', is that it comes with detachable suspenders, to further ramp up the sex appeal! 

Together with some black lace stockings, the 'Corselette' gives a glamorous and seductive look that would appeal to all ages. Charnos definitely proves that shapewear can be worn in the bedroom and the 'Corselette' is almost too gorgeous to stay hidden!

   The last question that remains, is whether the Charnos 'Corselette' works underneath clothes...

    I tried the 'Corselette' on under one of my body-con dresses and was delighted with the overall silhouette and support. In the picture below, you can see a cheeky little peek of lace from the 'Corselette' at the bust, which I think is rather lovely!

   I was really thrilled with my first experience of Charnos. The 'Hourglass Corselette' has definitely changed my views towards controlwear, proving that shapewear can be seductive and stylish, as well as figure-enhancing and functional. The 'Corselette' really is 'sexy' defined, with its luxurious satin and lace trims, fashionable yet classic colour combination of black and gold-nude and, of course, its stunning fit. 

   I feel that shapewear is streamlining and flattering to all shapes and sizes. The 'Corselette' gives an hourglass shape to those with less curvier frames, whilst flattering the lines of a curvier figure. Thanks to the inner corsetry, panels and underwiring, the 'Corselette' delivers a silhouette that is truly sultry, providing great support and shape to any figure. Charnos is a brand that prides itself on creating 'the perfect fit' and I felt that the 'Corselette' was a real testimony to this philosophy. 

  The Charnos 'Hourglass Corselette' comes in back sizes 32-38 and cup sizes from B-F and is priced at £50, available from their website: www.charnos.co.uk. As I mentioned earlier, as a 28FF, I found the 32E a really good fit, so this is great news for smaller band sizes!

   I am looking forward to trying more from Charnos and already have my eye on the other beautiful products from the 'Hourglass' collection, such as the waist cincher, waist nipper and stunning long line bra. I am also keen to try out their lingerie, to see how it comes up for fit. 

   One thing that is for sure, is that Charnos is definitely a brand to watch - their lingerie and shapewear is luxurious and elegant, but affordable and great quality. 

   To find out more about Charnos, take a look at their website to see their current collections.

Love,
Kitty xo

Eveden Press Launch S/S12: Freya, Fantasie, Fauve, Elomi and Huit - "Re-igniting the roaring 20's"

  Being one of Undercover Lingerista's most blogged-about lingerie names, Freya has long been a brand that I have closely followed and adored. Imagine my absolute delight when I received an invitation from Eveden (Freya's 'parent company') to come to the Spring/Summer 2012 collection launch. Not only was Freya one of the brands to be showcased, but also Freya's sister brands: Fantasie, Fauve, Elomi and Huit. 

  The theme of the Eveden press launch was the 1920's - an era of heightened artistic and cultural creativity. Technology, art, music and fashion were all affected, but most importantly, women experienced a new sense of liberation that had previously been suppressed during the Victorian era. This liberation, however, went much further than the right to vote. It allowed women to express themselves as sensual and sexual beings, particularly through fashion. Their dress sense became more flamboyant, women sported bobbed hair cuts, short skirts and makeup and the image of the 'flapper' soon became a redefining image of twenties femininity. 

  The 1920's is a particularly important year for Eveden, as it marks its date of establishment by Mr S D Dyall, so I dolled myself up and prepared myself for what promised to be a very exciting day out...

  On arriving at the venue at 28 Portland Place in London, I ascended the staircase to the highly sophisticated 'Harben Suite'. The suite had two spacious and exceedingly elegant interconnecting rooms, filled with what could only be described as any lingerista's ultimate dream: beautiful, ornately displayed lingerie and swimwear collections! The soft sound of 20's jazz music filled the air, light spilled through the windows and curvaceous flapper girls stood elegantly amidst the columns, drapes and canapés...Welcome back to the 1920's! 

FAUVE BY FANTASIE 

  The first collection that I viewed was the irresistibly luxurious, Fauve. Fauve by Fantasie is one of Eveden's higher end brands and epitomises elegance with its sumptuous fabrics, exquisite detailing and rich tones. The Fauve collection was very diverse in that the colour palette ranged from whites, to pastels, to nudes and gold tones, right through to vivid fuchsia pink! Patterns tended to be vintage-inspired and the lingerie featured floral prints, lace overlay and pretty bow ribbon detailing and pearl embellishments...

I loved the vintage-looking Fauve 'Evangeline', which comes in a moulded or underwired half cup style in either 'Frost' (a cool mint-tone) or nude and black - both with on-trend lace overlay: 

The Fauve gold-toned 'Maya' bra with graphic-inspired lace overlay: 

The Fauve palette lightened for the gorgeous 'Annalise' bra. The vintage floral print looks so delicate and the dove grey colour is set off beautifully by hints of purple, the pale yellow ribbon and ivory piping:

The Fauve 'Aurelia': 

I adored the peachy 'Coco' bra - the Chantilly lace overlay on this bra is exquisite and the little pearls on the straps and at the centre really exude Parisian elegance:

The Fauve 'Veronique' basque - a stunning oyster-coloured satin basque with ivory white detailing - complete with boning, to flatter your curves: 

Say hello to bright colour! The 'Emmanuelle' is a real 'look-at-me' piece, especially as it is so different from the rest of the collection. The fuchsia colour screams romance, femininity and confidence. The vintage jacquard print and bow motifs keep the bra from looking too loud and give this set a sophisticated and elegant appeal:

HUIT

  After Fauve, I looked at Huit, Eveden's recently acquired avant-garde French lingerie and swimwear label. Although Eveden is generally associated with providing brands that cater to the larger bust, Huit is Eveden's offering to cup sizes up to a DD:

One of my favourite designs was the 'Lucy' strapless bikini, which has a vivid orange base with white piping - very pin-up and glamorous!

My absolute favourite style was the knock-out floral D&G esque 'Love the keys', in particular, the underwired tankini. 'Love the keys' definitely turned some heads at the launch and many people (including myself) were amazed to find out that this tankini was not an item of clothing or a basque! I love how Huit have taken the idea of underwear as outerwear even further, to make underwear-inspired swimwear..'swimgerie', anyone?

Huit also presented some great underwear basics, including the monowired strapless bra (below) that sits close to the chest, gives no visible lines and stays close to the chest and does not gape, even when you lean forward!

Huit also had some great organic cotton lingerie - The 'Huit is biotiful' bra set is a great example of how an everyday basic bra can be updated with delicate crochet, to create something very pretty, practical and super comfortable: 

Huit's bright colours also extend to the lingerie collection, as seen in the multi-coloured 'Scottish Queen' air bra, which boasts a very Vivienne Westwood style tartan print! 

 Last but not least, I have to mention the 'Tea for Two' english garden-inspired bridal set. As a bride-to-be I really fell in love with this broderie anglaise beauty. I love the button detailing at the centre of the cups too. Huit shows just how elegant bridal underwear can be..it is just a shame that it does not come in my size, as I love it and think it would be perfect for under my wedding dress!

FREYA

  This brings me to talk about my favourite Eveden brand, Freya, and boy oh boy did they have some amazing surprises in store...

I will first begin with Freya's lingerie collection for S/S12, which was fun, young and flirty, with a hint of rock and roll edge! 

As many of you will now know from my blog, I am a huge fan of the Freya 'Deco' and own many of them. Imagine my excitement to see not one, not two, but three new Deco styles at the launch! 

Red Deco:

'Ocean' Deco:

The Freya 'Ashlee' in sorbet - Both a moulded plunge and moulded half cup will be available. The moulded plunge goes up to a GG:

The half cup Deco is a new style for Freya and features inbuilt graduated push-up padding for that extra cleavage boost. Unfortunately it only goes up to an F, but I am keen to try it!

Vivid brights are definitely big news for Freya's Spring/Summer 12 lingerie collection. Pink tones were also widely used.

The sophisticated blush-coloured Freya 'Elize':

The flirty powder pink 'Beau' bra - I loved the delicate bow print, cerise ribbon detailing and classic Freya mesh panels along the cups! 

Freya S/S12 also sees the introduction of graphic prints set against girly shades and floral patterning. This is shown by the Freya 'Daphne', which pairs graphic florals with polka dots and has feminine pops of pink and purple:

The Freya 'Pixie' mixes aqua with graphic print florals and polka dots:

Lime green was also a common colour in the collection. The 'Patsy':

and 'Ellie':

Freya even updates traditional leopard print by adding white flower detailing and mixing the palette up with inky blue. The edgy 'Roxanne':

This brings me on to Freya swim - an amazing collection inspired by dance. There were lots of candy tones and vivid brights. 

Candy colours - Freya 'Polka', 'Jitterbug' and 'Boogie':

Some of my favourites of the collection included:

The 'Calypso' - I am a sucker for bright and summery prints and the tropical polynesian florals of this bikini would look amazing against a tan!

 The 'Revolution', which has been updated in a gorgeous purple for S/S12:

and here is the quirky pin-up style dog-tooth 'Lindy Hop':

FANTASIE

  Fantasie is very much like Freya's elder sister and the S/S12 collection boasts a range of pretty prints complimented by lace and embroidery, giving the range a more sophisticated edge. Compared to Freya, Fantasie tended towards slightly less vivid hues, with lots of navy, slate, black, white, cappuccino and nude, with the exception of the hot pink 'Esme' and mint floral patterned 'Claudine':

  The joy of this collection, is that I can see Fantasie attracting the attention of a younger and older audience alike. I, for one, love the 'Sharon' black balcony bra, which features a black vintage lace pattern over slate grey and is finished with coloured floral embroidery on mesh and little pink bows. It is just a pity that Fantasie do not make 28 backs, as this bra is gorgeous!

  Fantasie swimwear had a different vibe to the lingerie collection, with obvious global trend influences - lots of tribal print, animal patterning and a vibrant palette that included coral and blue:

I loved the inky blue leopard print 'L.A.' bikini:

and the vivid coral 'San José', with its graphic print grey and white floral pattern:

ELOMI

  Finally, this brings me to Elomi, a brand that provides stylish and well-fitting lingerie for the fuller figured woman (from back sizes 32-52 and cup sizes C to J). Elomi knows that the fuller figured woman wants to look good, as well as feel supported and the S/S12 collection certainly proves this. The collection was awash with colour and cute prints - highlights include the rich peacock blue 'Caitlyn' bra, the snow leopard 'Asia' bra, the scarlet polka dot 'Betty' and the stunning fuchsia 'Maggie', which Alex models (below):

Also worth mentioning is Elomi's fabulous 'Ophelia' leopard lace bra, which looks a bit like the Freya 'Deco'!

Elomi also make their swimwear debut for S/S12, which is really exciting news for ladies with a fuller figure! The collection is made up of the 'Isis', which comes in black or aubergine and the animal print 'Yarra'. Elomi have clearly thought the collection through carefully; the high-waisted bikini bottoms and flared tankini top look very flattering to the fuller figure and would be the perfect solution for ladies that want to hit the beach without feeling too exposed.   

  To conclude, I was really impressed with Freya, Fantasie, Fauve, Huit and Elomi's offerings for Spring/Summer 2012 and cannot wait for them to come out. As expected, Freya was the 'stand-out' collection for me, but I also really loved Fauve's lingerie and Huit's swimwear. After seeing the Fantasie range, I am also keen to try the exquisite 'Sharon' in a 30 back. 

  The Eveden press launch was a fantastic opportunity to meet the Freya team, chat with other bloggers and meet other passionate lingeristas who love nothing more than to chat endlessly about the amazing lingerie and swimwear on show. The only problem is that with so much beautiful lingerie and swimwear on display, I now have the most giant wishlist imaginable. Oh, Eveden, how you tempt me so!

Love,

Kitty xo